Ticking off things on the family bucket list

It’s been an exciting and incredibly busy year since my last post.  After we got home from our last trip, we promptly began putting things in place to finally fulfill a life dream of an extended trip to Mexico so that we could immerse the kids in the language and culture of their heritage.  So a lot needed to be done in preparation.  Deciding what to do with the business ventures at home.  How to address healthcare for the family at home and abroad once my COBRA coverage ended.  Budgets to keep saving for the trip (which we have been doing for years) and making sure we could also cover the costs that remained at home.  Learning a bit about the homeschooling rules in Michigan so that we understood our rights when pulling our children from school. Partnering with each school so that they would be supportive of our trip, in the event that the kids would return to the same school after the trip.  Similarly, finding out what key materials would need to be covered for each child, so that they could proceed into the next grade in the fall.  We all recognize that a long-term trip like this is highly educational in and of itself, and we also want to be sure that we keep the kids in synch with their classmates on key subjects.  We are so fortunate to have very supportive schools and teachers, and they really helped tremendously by providing key support materials and tools to help us in our adventure.

Then after managing the logistics, preparing our tax returns as best possible with preliminary numbers, and automating as many logistics as possible, we were on to packing our lives into 6 suitcases, not to exceed 50 pounds each. This was quite the process too, as we needed to pack for all climates and seasons, include school materials, some gifts (birthday for Miriam and Christmas for all kids), as well as a handful of toys and games to keep everyone busy for the next few months.  We packed, culled, and repacked.  I was thankful that we had time.  I thought of refugees who maybe have an hour to pack their lives into a bundle that they could carry and flee.  It must be a gut-wrenching process.  I have the security in the knowledge that I can return home, and I have a high level of certainty that the belongings that I leave behind will still be there.  We are travelling under very different circumstances, and pray for those less fortunate.

OK back to the lighter side of things…Since this was a year long process of preparation, we took a few needed breaks along the way.  

Over the summer, we ticked another bucket list box and visited San Francisco and northern California.  It was chilly, especially when compared to Michigan temps in July, but absolutely gorgeous.  We were awed by the gentle giants in the Redwood National Forrest.  The rocky, misty coast was magical, and the vistas of Yosemite National Park were breathtaking.  The kids kicked up and down numerous paths through the forests, mountains, along streams, and through city scapes.  They saw elk and sea lions in their natural habitat.  We even thought we caught a glimpse of a whale as we stood on the Golden Gate Bridge and peered into the waters below.  This quickly became another place on the list to come back to.

   

In Michigan, we took a fall escape to the north to enjoy a weekend on Mackinac Island.  We hadn’t been there since Juliana was 1, so it was great fun to pack up the bikes and explore the island with our dear neighbors and friends who joined us for the trip.  The year was also peppered with various get-togethers with friends and loved ones, making it a truly wonderful time, filled with memories for everyone in the family. 

And now for this jump into a sabbatical for parents and children, to explore life in Mexico.  With a mid-December departure, our first stop was with family in Temixco, Morelos.  We got to spend time with Alex’s parents and his grandmother.  The kids spent quality time playing with their cousins, and parents got to catch up with Alex’s brother and wife.  It was a great way to jump start into Spanish and enjoy some much needed “down time” after the stress and packing that predicated our departure from Michigan.  The temperature change was welcome too!  Michigan was boasting temps in the single digits and low teens when we left, with lots of snow and icy roads.  Arriving in Temixco, we shed our winter coats and hats and put on shorts, more in line with the temps in the mid-80’s.

 While in town, we took the opportunity to visit the grave-sites of Alex’s 3 grandparents who have passed over the last few years.  We brought flowers for the kids to decorate the grave sites.


 We also took some time to visit the fields of roses that the family here tends.  They ran along the edges and between the rows exploring the different colors.  Of course, they ended up with flowers in hand and scrapes on the legs from the thorny plants.  At home, the kids were amazed by the mountains of flowers in the coolers, waiting for a trip to the market.  December is a good month in the rose business, as people celebrate the Virgen de Guadalupe mid-month, and then the Christmas season.  The roses still in the fields are being tended in preparation for Valentine’s day.

We ended our brief time in Morelos by visiting the ruins of Xochicalco. Construction at this site began around 200 AD and was at its height around 700-900 AD, and was likely used as a fortress to protect trade routes in the region.  Since the area is not very good for farming, it is believed that the population engaged largely in craft production and long distance trade.  Xochicalco is a wonderful little site that is easily explored in a couple of hours.  Since there weren’t a lot of tourists there, the kids could really enjoy running around the site and climbing the various pyramids.  A few things that we found interesting about the site were the numerous ball courts of different sizes and in different cardinal directions.  We also enjoyed the Templo de la Serpiente Enplumada (Temple of the Feathered Serpent ) which is extraordinarily well preserved. 

Our last stop on the Xochicalco site was to go inside the Observatory.  To access the Observatory, you go by small group through a series of tunnels and pathways under the site until you reach an round room where there is a shaft of light that reflects on the floor.  The bottom of the shaft enters through a cupola style dome in the ceiling. Above it is a hexagonal shaft where the hexagon is shaped to twist a bit as it rises.  Since we came in winter, we had only a little daylight come through the shaft.  Even so, we were able to observe multiple visual phenomena with the light and shadows.  Beginning April 30 until about mid-August, direct sunlight will come through the shaft at different angles and degrees, creating different geometrical shapes in the shadows of the floor each day.  On the summer solstice at mid day, a full stream of light will come through the shaft, which is angled at 2 degrees, to illuminate the entire room like a waterfall of light.  Our guide explained that the priests at Xochicalco used the patterns in the light and sun to guide the people on when to plant, when to harvest, and so on.  This observatory is the only one currently open to the public.  There are a handful of other archeological sites that have similar observatories, but they are not publicly accessible.  We felt fortunate to have had the opportunity to visit this one!

We wrapped up our time in Temixco with dinner with the family, more playtime for the kids, and a dance performance by the girls.  We will miss each other and hopefully will get to see each other again sometime further along on our trip.  On the morning of the 17^th we boarded a bus to our next stop: San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato!

Fall Camping - Bruin Lake

As the fall came, we decided to squeeze in one last camping trip before winterizing the trailer. 

This time, we headed to Bruin Lake State Park. 

We camped side by side with Mike and Irm and were even joined by cousin Tim and Edan for a night. 

The October weather was chilly and we had rain in the evenings (which gave us a chance to try out our new screen house), but even so, we had a wonderful time. 

The kids made fairy houses at the campsite and all sorts of other creations at the edge of the lake. 
We even had the opportunity to enjoy some of the fall colors by canoe. 
And in the evenings, we ended the day by making popcorn over the fire!

Butterfly House

Returning home to Michigan didn't mean stopping our explorations.  With just a few days remaining before school and my return to work, we looked for local adventures to be had.

One nearby, yet off the beaten path location was the Butterfly House in Whitehouse, Ohio.

This was a wonderful little stop, where the kids could wander about the greenhouse-like enclosure and observe the numerous butterflies flitting about.  If you were lucky, they would land on you, and you could observe each other up close and personal.  

There were butterflies of all sizes and colors, and the kids quickly figured out, how to work the odds in your favor that a butterfly would land on you.  And once it did, how to move very slowly so that it would stay a while.  The third trick, of course, was how to coax it to fly away without touching its wings, when you were ready to go.  After all, we couldn't take any of these beautiful creatures home.

Mammoth Cave, KY

On our way back home, we made a stop at Mammoth Cave, Kentucky. 

The weather cooperated, giving us a beautifully sunny day to walk around the woods outside the park. 

We also enjoyed a family-friendly tour down into one set of caves, viewing many stalactites and stalagmites, as well as bats and the other critters who live below.

We capped off our stop by looking at the original mammoth entrance.  Then we hit the road again, on our way home to Michigan.  Everyone agreed that this was yet again a stop, which could have used more time.  J

Hilton Head Island, SC

After Maryland, we headed over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel  further down the coast.  After a full day’s drive, we ended up at our destination, Hilton Head Island.

We spent several days exploring the island.  The old plantations were quite interesting, as we observed the fiddler crabs, osprey nests, as well as many other local plants and animals.  We really enjoyed the Spanish moss hanging from all the trees.

The beach, as always, was a hit with everyone!  Juliana found a turtle nesting area just next to our beach towels. 

And of course, we made a return pilgrimage to the old HHI lighthouse.  After a long trek to the top of the tower, we quite enjoyed the view all around.

Off to the Eastern Shore

It had been several years since we’d been to Maryland for the annual family reunion.  This time, a new date and location allowed us as well as Cousin Tim and his family, and my parents to all go down together. 

Our destination was Tuckahoe State Park where we had rented a cabin.  (Being new to trailering, we decided not to take it on the road this far quite yet.)  Cousin Tim and family had the cabin right next to ours, and my folks got the camping site just on the other side of us, so we were able to let the kids run free between all 3 sites.  It was HOT, MUGGY weather, and we were very thankful for the air conditioning inside the cabins!

While on the Eastern Shore, we took a “mandatory” day trip to Ocean City to cool off and play in the waves.   

We also spent a day at Saint Michael’s where we saw how maritime life on the Chesapeake Bay has been over the years.  The kids got a chance to explore all the rooms of an old lighthouse as well as check some crab traps hanging in the bay.  We topped off the experience with some true Maryland steamed blue crabs and ice cream!

The reunion itself was a lot of fun! We got a chance to reconnect with relatives that hadn’t been seen in quite a while, and all the kids got to know more of their roots.  Added bonus was the seining demonstration in the little pond at the state park, that the kids could participate in during the reunion!

July 4th – Maiden Voyage for the Trailer

After quite a bit of preparation and even some “driveway camping”, we finally took our trailer on its maiden voyage to Ludington State Park, Michigan. 

It was a last minute attempt to get a campsite over the holiday weekend, and we had beginner’s luck – due to a last minute cancellation, we had a last minute reservation in a prime location.
 Our site was the last one in the loop, so we only had a neighbor on one side, woods in front of us, and sand dunes to Lake Michigan behind us. 

The kids spent hours running up and down the dunes, and playing along the water’s edge. 

Even though the camp was full, it was nice and quiet and the kids were able to ride scooters and tricycles to the bathhouse. 

We all decided that next time, we absolutely MUST stay longer!

Summer Fun - Making Ice Cream

What kid doesn’t love ice cream? 

We were blessed with a batch of fresh strawberries from our local Farmer’s Market, which were getting a little less than firm, but had fantastic taste. 

So we got out the old fashioned ice cream maker, gathered up our ingredients, and got the kids working! 

After quite a bit of churning, the mass of liquid started turning into a solid! 

And after letting it cure a little, everyone was treated to some of the best strawberry ice cream we’d ever had!

A Day at the Capital in Lansing, Michigan

Juliana and I were invited to spend a day at the capital with our local State Senator, Rebekkah Warren. 

It was a great introduction to our State Government for Juliana. 

We started in Sen. Warren’s office and then took a tour of the capital building. 

We got to see both chambers of the state legislature in session (they were off to caucus most of the time we were there), as well as were treated to lunch with the Senator and her staff. 

It was great to expose Juliana to another of the many of career paths a woman may take, as well as give her an up close and personal view of how one can interact with one’s elected representative.